Monday, 29 June 2015

Occhi Profondi is Emma Marrone's new single. The queen of Italian music doesn't disappoint - her new track is epic. This blogger can't help but wonder how she would've fared in Eurovision with a song like this.... Softengine's new song is entitled All About You & I. Another awesome song from these guys. You can buy it on iTunes here. Dinah Nah wants to taste your love. Yes, I'm serious. The Swedish singer released Taste Your Love earlier today. And finally, we have Alyosha's new song. Моё Сердце, which translates from Russian into English as My Love, is dominating the charts in Ukraine. The song focuses on love and fixing things then they've gone wrong. The video-clip is stunning. I'd love to see her back on the Eurovision stage one day..

Tuesday, 23 June 2015

Tamar Kaprelian from Genealogy has teamed up with Elina Born from Estonia, Elhaida Dani from Albania, Maria-Elena Kyriakou from Greece and Stephanie Topalian also from Armenia to collaborate on her new song. The Otherside was written by Tamar and Xandy Barry. It's an incredible piece. The video-clip is stunning. It's a story many of us can relate with. Their voices work wonderfully together.. Elhaida's part is my favourite though :-)What do you think? Listen below:

Thursday, 18 June 2015

But aren't they part of Denmark? Yes, however Bjørn Kalsø, the Faroese Minister of Education, has said:

The justification so far has been that the countries have to be acknowledged by the United Nations as independent in order to participate. But there is no doubt that we could easily overstep those barriers, if we’re absolutely determined to reach this goal.

Portal reports that The Faroe Islands filed an application to participate in Eurovision five years ago although was turned down as they're not completely independent. Denmark has control over the islands even though the Faroese do have control over most matters within the country. It is a slightly tricky subject. Naturally, I'd love to see as many countries as possible but for some reason I can't see it happening. Would be great though. Eivør is arguably the most famous singer from The Faroe Islands - wouldn't she be amazing in Eurovision?

Summer is finally here (apparently) and SEREBRO's new song, Kiss, has the perfect summer vibe. I can imagine myself listening to this on a beach somewhere sipping Mojito.. Not their greatest effort but a cracking tune nethertheless. Staying in Russia, Nargiz Zakirova has released ТЫ-МОЯ НЕЖНОСТЬ. This tattooed beauty has to represent Russia in Eurovision! I adore her. Nargiz could easily win the contest I think, with the right song of course. Elliphant is a rather undiscovered talent it seems. I heard Love Me Badder on the radio a couple of weeks ago and was immediately hooked... Will she enter Melodifestivalen 2016? And finally, Tamta's new single! Unloved. She was supposed to enter the Greek national final however couldn't make up her mind as to what song to participate with, and subsequently Maria-Eleni Kyriakou took her place... The rest is history.

Monday, 8 June 2015

Ruth Lorenzo revealed a whole new side to her on 'Viajando con Chester' last night. The singer opened up about anorexia, stealing and the struggles she's been faced with throughout her life. It's an emotional story...

Throughout her whole life, Ruth has suffered from anorexia which progressed into bulimia, due to personal difficulties. Ruth found out when she was a child that her father wasn't her biological father. Her real father abused her mother and was an alcoholic. She never met him. Throughout her childhood, Ruth suffered alone with bulimia. Her family found out when she was 18 due to a friend telling them. Ruth didn't want them to suffer... "I did not tell anyone that she was anorexic to protect them, I felt very alone" says Ruth. It was triggered by a 'deep wound that triggered everything'.
To this day, people still insult her on Twitter calling her FattyRuLo. Despite her current popularity in Spain, she's still facing a bulimic crisis and is being treated by her brother in law who is a physiotherapist. When Ruth's mother was pregnant was her, she traveled to France by train to have an abortion although two mormon missionaries told her not to and therefore she didn't go through with it.

She lived in Utah, America, for some years where she found it even harder to 'fit in' as her English was very poor. When she returned to Spain, she worked as a hotel receptionist. In 2008, she successfully auditioned for the The X Factor in the UK even though she didn't have the correct papers which would allow her to live in the UK. Following this, she applied for the papers and got them within 24 hours. Ruth was on the brink of having a massive hit after she signed a £1 million contract although she felt that she wasn't being true to herself and therefore returned the money back to the record label. The single would've been called Spin The Bottle. Ruth didn't want to be transformed into something she wasn't - she didn't want to be a one hit wonder.. The struggle didn't end after achieving 5th place on The X Factor. Sure, more people knew her but Ruth still found it hard to get by. The Murcia born singer lived in London and had to steal food to survive. People would ask for photos whilst she had stolen food in her pockets - such as eggs. She didn't have money despite being known. The message behind Dancing In The Rain is when you're struggling, sometimes you just have to throw caution to the wind and dance like there's no tomorrow. Dance like nothing matters. Dance in the rain. Who cares if you get wet? It doesn't matter. Therefore in 2013, she once again returned to Spain as she was having little success in the United Kingdom and applied to take part in the Spanish selection for Eurovision. Ruth was hardly a household name in Spain prior to the national final and therefore wasn't sure she should participate. People didn't really know her. But Ruth enter as she had nothing to lose - but everything to gain. And as they say, the rest is history... Ruth's now living her dream - despite experiencing some issues - but on the whole, Ruth is in a much better place. Eurovision really helped her both professionally and personally. It's an inspirational story. Following her interview last night, the official video clip of Patito Feo. Patito Feo translates into Ugly Duckling and that's how Ruth felt when she was growing up. Like an ugly duckling. Who knows what the future holds for Ruth? Who knows what the future holds for us? Sure, that sounds cheesy but it's true... I genuinely think Ruth's story is both tragic yet amazing. Siempre tienen esperanza. You can enjoy the video clip below...

Oh My Gawd. What can one say? One of Russia's most vulgar and controversial politicians, Vitaly Milonov, has said that Polina betrayed her motherland. Why? Simply because Polina posted a video on Instagram during the contest kissing Conchita in the greenroom. Conchita congratulated the Russian singer and Polina said Conchita is very intelligent and a fantastic performer. This photo is very symbolic.

She achieved a more than respectable 2nd place in Vienna and even managed to bag Russia's highest number of points ever. Yet Vitaly Milonov has said Polina is a disgrace to her country. Here's a rough translation of his comments towards Polina.... Prepare to be shocked and saddened.

Who gave her the right to represent Russia? She represents only the private media structure, where Christian values are not on the first place. … The results are always falsified, the winner of Eurovision has no relation to talent. … When Russia proclaimed its Christian values and went against the propoganda of sodomy, a bearded pervert in women’s clothes went on to win Eurovision ….

Why did Gagarina, a married woman, kiss another man? What is so precious in hugging a mentally sick pervert? It was on purpose, because this is a condition of the contest to push a country as deep as possible, excuse me, into Euro-sh*t, using crude ways to affect the teenagers. I criticised Gagarina’s kiss with this pervert, which she was doing with the name of Russia, but she immediately started arguing with us….

Gagarina became part of the propoganda and she is a traitor of the Motherland – she betrayed Russia for some carpets, medals or something else … so she could become a propogander of Western sodomic values. …

Very sad indeed. But we have to remember this isn't Russia's opinion of Polina. Russia as a whole is not a homophobic country. That's why I don't support people booing Russia in Eurovision. Why punish Polina (and The Tolmachevy Twins last year) because of some small minded politicians? Holding LGBT flags during her performance was much more effective in my opinion.

Trijntje was always a dark horse for me to take the trophy in Vienna but hell, was I wrong. Although the Dutch singer has won something.. unfortunately it's the Barbara Dex Award. Why ay ay ay? I think she should've stuck with the first dress. She won the annual contest with 1324 votes. Bojana from Serbia came 2nd and Electro Velvet placed 3rd. Somehow Elhaida was voted the 4th most worst dressed act of 2015... Pffft. I voted for Electro Velvet.

Tooji, Norway's 2012 representative, has been fighting against discrimination and racism all his life - however the Norwegian-Iranian singer has today come out in the most extraordinary way. His new song - Father - challenges religion and it speaks volumes.

The song and the video is about running from himself, denying himself, and yes, if God is in everyone and everything, denying God. With the project I want to express that love between two of the same sex has been tainted by religion for too long. And that religion has imposed too many people unnecessary shame and anguish throughout the years.

I can't lie, I'm not a lover of the song itself but the message here is very important. Very important indeed. Good job, Tooji :-) #LoveIsLove!